Human
by wild-springflower
Summary: Batman is human, just like everyone else. Even if he doesn't want to admit it. And just like everyone else, his body can only handle so much. *Ugh, summary sucks, I know. This is my first Batman fic!*


**A/N: Man, I should really be working on my Inception fic, but this idea came to me after watching Dark Knight and it wouldn't leave me alone! Alright, so this is my first Batman fic. Note to everyone, I've only seen the movies with Christian Bale, so that is where I get all my knowledge... sorry if I get anything wrong. Um, I would say that this takes place sometime before the end of Dark Knight, but after Begins. Also, I don't own anything here expect the mistakes, all of which I apologize for in advance! Anywho, here. we. go! (imagine that in my best impression of a Joker voice... actually, imagine that in the real Joker voice cause I could never do Heath Ledger justice!) **

It had started out like any other typical night. The typical bad guys were attempting to pull off the typical drug sail to the typical buyers in the typical rundown warehouse. But then something happened that was so **un**typical it had the Batman's head reeling to catch up.

The criminals had been expecting him, but that wasn't the weird part. Any criminal with half a mind to do any sort of business in Gotham at night had better be on the look-out for the Batman. No, the weird part was that instead of turn-tail and running like most criminals did, these turn-tailed and started shooting. And one actually landed a hit.

Normally, Batman could handle men with guns easily. But one guy, who he'd been **sure** he'd knocked unconscious, scored a lucky hit.

So now, the Batman was doubled over with pain and nearing delirium from blood loss. The wound wasn't **too** serious, just one bullet to the gut that Alfred would be able to mend in a matter of minutes, that is, if he ever got the chance. *The problem with stomach wounds was that they bled, a lot, and the criminals the Batman was currently facing lived up to their namesake; stubborn. They refused to stay down.

Finally, **finally** Batman heard the blear of sirens in the distance. He'd radioed the police **fifteen **minutes ago, they seriously needed to work on their response time. But then there were feet hitting his chest and he was falling. The wind soared past him and his stupid brain felt all slow and sluggish and he didn't even have time to react before the cold hard ground came up to meet him. Or, he fell to meet it.

His head was throbbing, his legs were wobbly, and his black armor was caked with his blood. The bad guys were cackling wildly at their luck, advancing ever so slowly on the Batman, and he couldn't, for the life of him, get his body to move. The last thought that fluttered through his mind before he gave in to the ever wonderful darkness was; _'Well, at least I'll go out with a bang.' _

Bruce woke to blinding white lights and throbbing pain **every**where. If this is what heaven felt like, then he sure didn't want to see hell. He groaned slightly, trying to purge the fog from his brain. Why did he feel like he went head to head with a mountain goat and lost? Oh yeah, because he kinda had.*

Memories from the previous night came flooding back to him. The criminals, the gun, the sirens, the **pain**. It was only then that he actually took in his surroundings. He was in his bedroom, at Wayne manor. Immediately his head was bombarded with more questions, why was he still alive? What day was it? What had he missed? But probably most pressing of all, **how** had he gotten home?

These questions did nothing to dull the ache in his head and closing his eyes, Bruce let out another soft moan.

"Master Bruce?"

Alfreds' voice. Funny, Bruce hadn't even heard the door open, announcing the Butler's entrance. He must have been more out of it than he originally thought.

Bruce wanted to say hello, but what he wanted to say and what he actually said were two very different things. Curse his dry, gravelly throat.

Alfred let out a laugh and passed Bruce a cup of cold water.

Thanking the Butler, Bruce skipped the pleasantries and went right to business, "How'd I get here? What happened to the criminals? Did the cops get there in time?"

"Slow down Master Bruce, I will explain everything to you, I just thought you might want some breakfast first."

Bruce contemplated this for a moment, he **was **hungry. "I eat, you talk."

"Agreed." Alfred passed Bruce a tray of food before beginning to relay the story he'd been told the night before. "The police were just rolling up when Gordon saw you take a tumble from the building. He and his men rounded up the hoodlum's* but you weren't waking up. Gordon sent the men back to the station while he stayed with you. But you wouldn't awaken so he did what he had to do."

"He took off my mask." Bruce finished before Alfred did, realization dawning on him. How else could he have ended up in **his **bedroom inside **his **house?

"He's already sworn his secrecy! He won't tell a soul. He didn't know where to take you, and he figured the hospital wouldn't work. So he removed your mask and dragged you here."

Bruce released a sigh, great, just great. Now another person knew the identity of the man behind the mask. It wasn't as if Bruce didn't trust Gordon, just the opposite actually. But the fewer people who knew about his alter ego the safer is was for him, and more importantly, them.* But, it was all said and done now, and no amount of thinking could undo it. Whatever be the case, he had to thank the man for saving his life.

Bruce made to get up but a hiss of pain escaped his lips as his mid-section started on fire. _'Damn bullet wounds, they do always take longer to heal.' _He'd probably be out of commission for the next few days, or, Alfred would **want **him to be out of commission for the next few days.

"Master Bruce, I really think it would be best if you stayed in bed for today."

"Can't." Was his stiff reply, "Got stuff to do."

"Please remember Master Bruce that you are only human."

"Batman can't afford to be human."

"Well unfortunately, he is."

Bruce gave Alfred a look that said; 'stop talking cause I know you're right but I'm too stubborn to accept that, so go get my suit so I can go kick some bad guy ass' At least, that's how Alfred interpreted it.

With a slight bow Alfred took the tray, any food having long since been devoured, and went to retrieve the Batman suit. When he returned it was to find Bruce stripping, albeit gingerly, of his current attire.

"Here you are Master Bruce." The butler placed the suit gently on the bed, standing close by if his young ward were to need assistance.

But Bruce managed to change into the suit on his own, if he had even needed help Alfred doubted he'd have asked for it. Bruce made for the stairs, but Alfreds' voice called him back, "Where are you going Master Bruce?"

"I'm just gonna go thank Gordon for saving my life." Bruce smiled innocently, his hands raised by his shoulders as if asking the Butler what he had expected him to be doing.

Alfred shot him a skeptical look and Bruce released a laugh. "If I meet any bad guys, I'll take it easy, I promise." Bruce gave a half salute before leaving the room, a smile on his lips. Before exiting the mansion, he put his mask over his face and became the Batman.

It took him longer than usual to reach Gordons' office, with his stomach protesting nearly every move he made. But he continued to sneak through the town. The sun was going down and one could never be too careful in Gotham.

Gordon wasn't surprised by the masked figure that seemed to just materialize in his office, in fact, he'd been expecting a visit sooner or later. "Good to see you up and moving. You gave me a pretty good scare the other night."

"About that, I just, I wanted to-"

What was this? Was the Batman at a loss for words? _'Then again,'_ Gordon reasoned, _'It wasn't every day the _**_Batman_**_ was the one who needed saving.' _

Bruce took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Thank you, for saving my life."

"I just did what any decent person would do."

"Unfortunately, there aren't very many decent people around these days."

"More than you might think."

"Just accept the thanks Gordon." Bruce said, the gruff voice of Batman slipping for a moment.

Gordon smiled before nodding softly. There was a moment of silence before he continued, "You should be more careful. You are, in fact, a human being, just like the rest of us."

"Alfred told you to say that, didn't he?"*

Gordon just shrugged sheepishly.

Batman shook his head, letting out a soft grunt as he did so. Gordon could've sworn he saw a hint of a smile on the Caped Crusaders lips, but it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.

Batman's head swiveled around swiftly as he looked for an exit -the door just wouldn't do- "Of course he did." And with that, the Masked Vigilante tipped backwards out the open window, falling a couple of stories before spreading his wings and landing on the ground below.

_'Human my ass.'_ He thought, ducking around a corner and disappearing as only the Batman could.

**And there we go! Hope you liked it, I wasn't sure about the ending but, whatever. Just a couple of things before I wrap this up... this is what all the starts * were for!**

**First off, I don't know how much stomach wounds bleed, but for the purpose of this story, they bleed more so than regular wounds Batman would receive! **

**Second, obviously, the bad guys are not mountain goats, they were just annoying and stubborn, like mountain goats! **

**Third, hoodlums just seemed like a very Alfred thing to say! **

**Fourth, I just wanted to make it clear that Bruce was more worried for the safety of those who know his secret identity, than for himself. Hopefully I relayed that information well enough and this message was useless. **

**Lastly, him commenting about Alfred was his silent accpetion of Gordon knowing his identity as Bruce, and him showing Gordon that he trusted him with that information. I don't know, it just seemed like a very Batman thing to do! **

**Anywho, like I said above, this is my first Batman fic, so, feedback would be wonderful, just, don't be too harsh, yeah? **


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